Gears of War: Saving Private Carmine
by Riddick writer
Summary: Lieutenant Matt Dunbar and Rico Squad have been assigned to retrieve a Henry Carmine from combat, only problem is, the private is MIA beyond the wall. One of the locust's strongest fortresses, can Rico squad even breach it? Will they survive behind enemy lines if they do? Will Henry Carmine even be found? Find out in this exciting story of love, loss, friendship, and duty!
1. Rico Squad versus The Assignment

**Saving Private Carmine**

**A/N: The characters used for this story are not all mine. This was an OC submission at one point, and the following people are responsible for some characters that make up Rico Squad. Those people are: Luizao940, Damonmielke, Jd196, Dorylus, Helor145, and AXL999. So with that said enjoy the story folks! I do not own Gears of War or its ideas, Epic Games does! **

"All of them dead?"

"Well no, but Clayton Carmine isn't exactly green as grass like his brothers."

The Cog Internal Affairs Director swallowed hard, adjusting his glasses as he does so. The small office fills with tense silence. The type most gears experience at the end of a firefight, one so serene, that it seems impregnable. As if it could never be broken, but the Cog Colonel felt his time was of the essence, so he shifted in his black leather chair frowning behind the desk full of documents. He was a very busy man during the war, but Mr. Douglas's appointments were mandatory according to Chairman Preston.

"Okay, so Clayton Carmine lives, what of Anthony or Benjamin," Mr. Douglas asked, crossing his legs in the chair opposite of the obese Colonel whom now makes a grave face. He clasps his hands into a ball on the desk and straightens himself professionally clearing his throat.

"Killed in action I'm afraid. Private Benjamin Carmine met is end in a riftworm during Operation Hollow Storm, and Private Anthony Carmine was sniped at the House of Sovereigns under Lieutenant Minh Young Kim's command. Both brothers died in the line of service as members of Delta squad, and died honorably, based on reports from Sergeant Fenix."

Mr. Douglas cleared his throat and scratched his thinning gray hair thoughtfully. The glare from the room's light hid his eyes from the Colonel behind glasses, but the Colonel already had a guess at the man's next words. He had a reputation for being soft hearted, meaning as the Cog's Internal Affairs Director, civilians and stranded _loved_ him.

"I see," he starts saying, before standing to straighten his tie. "Then by request of Lisa Carmine, and direct order of Cog high command, including Prescott himself, I request the immediate retrieval of the youngest Carmine. Private Henry Carmine is too be located and removed from battle as soon as possible, I'm actually going as far as to dispatch a squad solely to find the boy." He removes a piece of paper from his suit and slaps it on the desk before the Colonel who looks down at it unimpressed.

Slowly, he picks it up with a pudgy hand and allows his eyes to read over it. Meanwhile Mr. Douglas folds his arms and watches in diligent anticipation. He's expecting the Colonel to be upset by the letter of honorable discharge for the lad, but the truth of it is that this happens quite often. It's only a matter of time before the Chairman forbids it though, and Mr. Douglas is put out of the job… They're losing way too many troops…

"Very well, I understand our predicament," the Colonel stands and turns to the window behind his desk. Gazing outside, he quickly spies the moving vehicles and large amount of gears assembling. "Tell me though, which squad would you send for this petty task? Now that we've left Jacinto for good, we don't have time for goose chases. Especially with the lambent making their presence known." The Colonel turns back to the small man who shrinks away from his icy gaze.

"Um, I'm not exactly sure sir. May I see your rosters? Surely an eight man team would be sufficient, I would think."

"I would damn well hope so," the Colonel mutters as he searches his desk for a folder. When he finds it, he lifts it and throws it to Mr. Douglas who catches it in shock. Clumsily he opens its contents and thumbs through pages littered with names and soldiers. At last, he finds a page to his interest and pulls it from the manila folder reading contently. "Well, did you find something?"

"I believe so," he replied, setting the folder down on the desk. The room falls into stillness once more, until Mr. Douglas looks up with a smile across his narrow face. "How does Rico Squad sound? They're on their final day of shore leave and have survived Operation Hollow Storm together. Oh and looks like they're getting some new recruits."

The Colonel makes a stern face while the gears of his brain spin in thought. Rico Squad was led by honest Lieutenant Matt Dunbar, a veteran gear who had even fought alongside Sergeant Fenix at Aspho Fields. The man's loyalty to the Cog's cause couldn't be doubted, and the records were true. Rico Squad had survived Operation Hollow Storm with flying colors; they had even rescued some prisoners of war. With a loud sigh the Colonel nodded, using his best manners not to scream at the man as he lifted the folder back into his hands pitifully staring at it.

"If anyone will find this kid, Rico Squad can. I'll send word for the Lieutenant ASAP… You realize that Hoffman is going to pissed that you're taking one of his best assault squads for this, right?"

Mr. Douglas now grins in delight as he gives the sheet of paper back to the Colonel to store away in the folder.

"Indeed, but this is most excellent, I'd hate for the family to experience anymore losses. The poor woman has already received a dozen letters of condolences… but those can only aid a grieving mother so much."

The old Colonel nodded, biting his tongue not to rebel by saying how every man was needed on the frontlines. Instead he kept quiet, making Mr. Douglasscratch his head once more in awkwardness. _Hoffman was going to have his head for authorizing this… _

"Um, once again Colonel, you have my thanks. I'll take my leave now, good luck with the war; hopefully we won't be doing this again anytime soon. Wouldn't want to steal anymore of your troops," he chuckled on his way out the door. When it slams shut behind him, the big man grabs his radio dismally.

"Command, this is Colonel Vinson; get me Lieutenant Dunbar on the double. Tell the man it's urgent as hell."

"_Right away sir, one moment please." _

The line goes to static for a long time, before finally the female voice chimes back.

"_He's on his way sir. Should be in any moment."_

"Roger that Sarah thanks," the Colonel grumbled before putting the radio down and leaning back in his chair. 'In any moment' didn't even describe how fast the Lieutenant arrived, because as soon as Vinson leaned back, the Lieutenant entered.

"Ah Lieutenant," the Colonel said, "Good to see you, have a seat."

Matt Dunbar was a tall man who kept his head bald and left a dusty brown goatee around his mouth. He had watery blue eyes, broad facial features, and thick muscles from years of fighting. Long story short, this gear had been around the block a few times.

"This about our next assignment," the veteran gear guessed, before easing down into the chair facing the Colonel.

"Indeed Lieutenant, your squad's next assignment," Vinson admitted, making Matt impassive as stone. His face hinted at nothing and hid everything.

"Figured you guys would cut us from shore leave ASAP." Vinson shrugged casually at the comment, his aged face returning to its normally bored expression. Droopy caterpillar like brows, wrinkled forehead, crooked nose and sagging chins. His dulling blue eyes had lost the liveliness they once possessed…

"The war needs every able man. But I suppose your next assignment kind of goes against that statement," the Colonel muses. Now the Lieutenant leans forward in his seat narrowing his eyes suspiciously. _He always was a quick puzzle solver; _Vinson thinks to himself, seconds before Matt's words confirm the thought.

"We're going on a retrieval mission, aren't we?"

"I'm afraid so Lieutenant, this one for a Private Henry Carmine. The lucky nineteen year old gets to leave combat because two of his three brothers have been killed in the line of duty." Matt nods at that solemnly and looks away thinking quietly to himself. When he looks back to Colonel Vinson, he's deathly sarcastic. Something rare for the honest Matt Dunbar… Especially when talking to a superior officer…

"I just love when my squad has to risk their lives to rescue a single person. Especially one who gets to leave duty, he signed up knowing the price, he should see it through." The Colonel shook his head slowly, a smile creeping on his old lips.

"You know I can't disobey orders. Mr. Douglas came all the way out here, to this very base, just to make sure Cog high command's orders went through regarding this kid. Cog high command is irreversible; you know that as well as I do, Lieutenant."

Matt closes his eyes and nods dreamily. When he opens his eyes again, he urges for the Colonel to get on with the briefing. Matt truly _is_ an honorable, by the book gear, even when in the debriefing room. Some gears would have argued until the end of time with Vinson about the assignment, but Matt just took what he was given, and did what he was told.

"This Carmine…," the Colonel starts, his eyes scanning over a new sheet of paper he found from the heap on his desk. "He's, oh shit… he's missing in action." Matt meets the Colonel's eyes sadly, and then shakes his head abruptly.

"We're still being sent after him. MIA is good enough for our superiors."

The Colonel muttered in agreement, "Couldn't have said it better myself Lieutenant.

Matt chuckles, "Of course you can't Vinson. You and I have known that since we started this mess."

"Correct Lieutenant, but that doesn't change my dislike for this particular assignment. According to this particular report… Carmine was deployed at the wall two weeks ago." Matt raised his brows at the words and the Colonel's eyes widened as he had to reread the words.

The wall was one of the locust's greatest strongholds. It was very well placed tactically for the locust, for it guarded the entrance to a desert crawling with an endless host of locust encampments and ruined cities they could occupy. Most of the encampments were where they stored their weapons, bred creatures of war, and even lived themselves. Since E-day, Cog forces had been fighting inside the wall to either escape, or deal a devastating blow to the locust horde. Every gear knew that beyond the wall was where the most casualties in the war took place though. Only three missions had ever been carried out successfully behind its massive black, three hundred feet of pure steel, and only one of those successful squads had returned. Right now, the likelihood of Henry Carmine being alive was slim… _Very slim…_

At this very moment, two hundred listed gears were beyond the wall in the desert, either fighting to hold a position, or attempting to fight their way out. Only a select few had contact with the Cog bases, the rest were a lost cause. Either MIA or KIA somewhere, or in the process of becoming identified as one of those. The ones sustaining contact were usually mixed bands of gears holding their position at the ruins of some deserted city. They were most likely waiting for reinforcements, or a potential way to escape.

Matt knew all this too well because when he first joined the Cog, his friend from the academy, Brian Johnson, had been shipped off to make history with hundreds of other gears to record the first assault on the wall. Years have passed now since then, but no one had ever confirmed much about that early battle. Brian's squad, Meeko squad, had supposedly made it in, _but no one ever reported them coming back out…_

Now here Matt was, forty worn out years old, and sick of war, but nonetheless, receiving his orders dutifully.

"I… I understand Colonel. How will we get in though? No raven has flown over the wall since the locust mounted turrets on the wall. Trying such a thing would be suicide." The Colonel stroked his double chins gently and sighed heavily, picking up another sheet of paper from his desk.

"Well then you're just in luck Lieutenant," he announced rather glumly, Matt tilted his bald head at the paper and leaned across the desk to take it from the Colonel. He read it with his blue eyes hungrily and looked up when the Colonel spoke again, "Chairmen Prescott has just ordered another attack on the wall a few days ago, and a platoon of a hundred troops are set to attack at dawn."

"Then we don't have a choice. It's the only possible time we even stand a chance of getting in," Matt admits with a sigh, setting the report back on the desk. He then stands, staring out the window with a curious expression. "Who's in charge of the platoon?"

"Major Eckhart," Vinson replied quickly, "You should go see him immediately Lieutenant. He and his squad leaders are discussing battle plans down the hall." Matt nodded and started walking away when the Colonel coughed loudly, "Matt."

He looked back at the Colonel calmly when he heard his first name addressed. Usually the higher ranking officers of the Cog wouldn't go so far as to personally address their insuperiors, but Matt Dunbar wasn't stupid. _This may be the last time I speak to Colonel Vinson_, he thought to himself darkly.

"Yes sir?"

"Good luck," the big Colonel stands, stretches across his desk and snatches Matt's hand firmly. Both men make direct eye contact before Matt releases from the handshake and moves the rest of the distance to open the door. He suddenly stops to turn back with a smile. The chubby Colonel is now staring out the window with his arms clasped behind his back.

"Hey Vinson," the Colonel turns away from his window surprised, _"I'll see you again, this side, or the other."_ The Colonel smiles warmly at that, and then watches as the Rico squad Lieutenant shuts the door for what may very well be his last time in Vinson's office.

Striding down the bustling corridor leading from Colonel Vinson's office, Lieutenant Dunbar couldn't rid himself of the thoughts pounding about in his head. He found it difficult to say 'hi' to anyone, including nurses, advisors, attendants, and even fellow gears. Instead he forced his way past several people heading straight for the debriefing rooms, in search of an old war buddy.

At the end of the hall, Matt ended up having to ask a nurse which room the Wall Invasion team was meeting in, which happened to be the sliding door right next to them. So gathering himself to present himself in a dignified manner, he pushed the green button causing the door to _whoosh_ open and emit him.

Right away the entire table of experienced men looked up at him. Major Eckhart himself was standing at the head of the table, while the rest sat facing one another. Five on each side of the table meaning Matt made 12 squads made up the platoon.

The deathly awkward silence was cleansed by an excited Major Eckhart, who howled with laughter and ran around the table to greet his old friend.

"Well I'll be damned! If it isn't Lieutenant Dunbar! Where the hell have ya been," he exclaimed before nearly breaking Matt's hand in a handshake.

"I've been around," he admitted with a chuckle, "Just got off my week of shore leave, that's all." The other gears in the room nodded in understanding while a few simply did nothing. They just stared at their hands or rolled their eyes wanting to get out of this room as much as Matt did. The Lieutenant of Rico Squad would never confess it, but he hated talking about war as much as he hated fighting it.

"Damn glad to hear it, we need more men like you out their kicking some grub ass!" The Major stepped back to stroke his bushy brown mustache thoughtfully, staring at him behind a pair of ancient glasses. "Tell me Dunbar, what brings ya here? Cause I sure as hell know you didn't walk in here to kiss me goodbye!" That got a chorus of laughs from the jollier squad leaders, but some only smiled a little or looked away.

Matt smiled, "No, I'm afraid not. My squad and I have been commanded to join you guys on the assault team. I'm assuming everyone got different assignments once we're in?" A decent amount of the gears nodded. "Yeah, so I'll spare you the details of my squad's particular assignment, we need to get past the wall first."

"Damn right we do Dunbar! Pop a squat and we'll get on with the battle plans."

Eckhart dragged a chair from the corner to the table and Matt did as he was bid, watching the beefy Major walk back to his spot before the table. He picked up a small remote again and flashed an image of the wall on the screen behind him. It was intimidating just to look at on a monitor Matt realized. _It must be breath taking in person… _

Three hundred feet tall seemed like a mistake of measurement. Not to mention the spiked masons on top that hid the turrets, theron guards, and snipers. Only a select few could actually be seen in the photograph the recon drone had obtained for them, but every gear knew the wall went for miles upon miles upon miles.

"Okay boys," Major Eckhart took up a demanding tone, "The wall is three hundred feet of five feet thick black steel. The only way we're breaching it, is by using one of these, an upgraded Jack." He flashed the screen again to show a fully mechanical drone rolled up into a ball. Matt's noticed the drills and digging mechanisms hidden within the drone's metal form, seconds before Eckhart explained so.

"So let me get this straight Major," a younger squad Captain from the left side of the table said, "We have to get all the way up the beach to the wall to deploy these things?"

"Affirmative Captain, close enough so you can lick the goddamn thing. Then we deploy the drones, which will dig our way through." Mutters of individual thoughts echoed around the room but Major Eckhart ignored the hum of talk and flashed to the next screen undisturbed.

This one presented a well taken aerial photo of the wall. You could even see the network of locust trenches and silvery barbed wire. Both of which, hid behind the wall's massive structure about twenty yards back. You could even see some of the notorious murder holes that claimed so many gears in the twenty yard stretch between the wall and the barbed wire. Each hole was either filled with tickers or spikes, either way; the gear unfortunate enough to fall in was beyond dead.

"Okay boys, as you can clearly see, the bastards main force in on the wall." Eckhart pointed a dirty fingernail at the wall and its white ants that can only be locust. "Fortunately for us, locust are some of the dumbest mother fuckers I've ever met. They have no way to get down the wall except for a set of stairs so far north, that we could take a twenty minute shit on the battlefield, and still have enough time to climb over their damn wall if we had to!" Another chorus of laughter echoed the room getting the Major to grin with pleasure that his humor was being acknowledged.

"Now the locust have placed snipers, theron guards, and turrets on the wall. Long story short boys, you don't want to get hit by any of that shit. So stay in the armadillos and get as close as you can before leaving the vehicle with your squad, everyone agree?" Nods went around the room so Eckhart continued contently, "The turrets will eventually decimate our APCs, but the hope is by driving in a spread out formation, flanked by two centaurs, at least half us will reach the wall." The last part is depressing, but everyone in the room knew it.

This attack was going to have a huge causality toll on their side. Regardless of how well their plan was, _men were still going to die. And that was if they even made it past the wall… _

"Um, Major, you're forgetting the ticker holes in the bottom of the wall," a squad leader spoke up making Eckhart swallow hard and flush red. It was true, he hadn't mentioned those yet, and those were their biggest threat approaching the wall. Tickers were their vehicles biggest threat…

"Shit you're right, does anyone have a course of action to deal with th**o**se?" The Major turned to them frowning heavily. One hand was awkwardly scratching his balding head while the other clutched the remote so tightly, his knuckles were white.

When no one spoke, Matt shared his thoughts.

"Eck, what if we drove the armadillos right up against the wall and blocked the holes, then the tickers would explode underneath the wall to our advantage." Murmurs of agreement went around the room, but some men disapproved.

"That's suicide! We'll never get our entire squads out before the first ticker goes off and blows the APC."

Matt met his naysayer with an icy stare and unbelievable calmness.

"So we unload and let the driver plug the holes. That way, even after we lose the vehicles, the thing's rubble will still slow or prevent the tickers from coming through."

"Lieutenant Dunbar is right," the Major boomed getting everyone's attention. "It's our best course of action so we're doing it." The room grew silent again, Matt's naysayer faced the Major again with an annoyed look, folding his arms.

"What about the drivers, sir," the same Captain from earlier asked in concern.

"They're trained to climb in and out fast son, they should be able to get out. Besides, they won't have us slowing them down if we unload early," Major Eckhart answered, then surveyed the room. "Any other questions regarding the ticker holes?"

No one spoke, so Eckhart went on explain the attack in great detail, much to his obvious dislike. He explained how the bunkers behind the wall contained jammers preventing any hammer of dawn use, and how the first squads to breach would have to disable them. Then they would use the hammer of dawn to create a big enough gap in the wall to fit the remaining vehicles and squads through. When the lengthy plan was finally established, every man in the room was happy to hear the Major announce, "Dismissed."

In a matter of thirty seconds Matt and Dave Eckhart were the only ones remaining in the room. Both men stared at each other, frowning at the image of the wall buzzing on the screen.

"This is gonna be hell Dunbar, I hope you and your squad are ready," Eckhart said dismally. Matt didn't respond, but continued to stare at the screen intently. Eckhart walked past him warily, and patted him on his meaty shoulder before making for the door. His footsteps echoing off down the hall…

Towards the end of the meeting Eckhart told each leader to meet with their drivers. So respecting his commanding officers wishes, Matt made for the garage.

After what felt like ten minutes too long he emerged on the west side of the base in a large cement floored room filled with Cog vehicles. The garage was massive and dark, filled with engineers and drivers examining the various Cog vehicles. _It sounded and looked more like a factory than a military garage_, Matt thought, as he took a few steps from the door only to be greeted by an engineer. "Lieutenant Dunbar?"

"Yeah that's me."

Instantly the engineer ran off disappearing behind a centaur tank, he returned with a tall, young, brown haired man behind him.

"Lieutenant, this is Rico Squad's personal driver for tomorrow's mission, Corporal Jon Downey," the engineer introduced the man who politely shook Matt's hand.

"A pleasure to meet you Lieutenant Dunbar, I've heard lots about you," he said.

"I hope their good things," Matt joked making the driver chuckle a bit. "Wouldn't want my old comrades running around with rumors now would I?"

Jon shook his head at the bit of humor, "Well Lieutenant, Rico Squad heading out with the rest tomorrow morning on search and rescue?" The driver instantly got down to business.

"Yes, Colonel Vinson informed me of that earlier today when I was given my assignment." Jon nodded and turned to the engineer hastily.

"We're going to have to get that armadillo up and running before morning, that's what I'm driving these guys out in tomorrow." The engineer nodded and jogged off not wasting any time as he grabbed a wire cutter. Jon turned back to Matt scratching his five o'clock shadow that covered his chin, "Wish we had more time to chat, but to be honest, if were going anywhere I gotta fix up our ride".

"Fine by me, it's going on seven o'clock and I'm tired enough as it is," Matt replied with a loud yawn. Jon laughed a bit and turned away, beginning to chat with other engineers about fixing the armadillo.

"Catch cha in the morning Lieutenant," he called after Matt. Matt waved a good bye and not wasting any time left the noisy garage. One thing was on the exhausted Lieutenant's mind, _sleep…_

Since Matt had been called down today for Colonel Vinson to give him his new assignment, the forty year old felt as if the world was falling on his shoulders, could he really lead a squad successfully on this suicide run without any casualties? Is he really meant to be a Lieutenant? Suddenly Matt regretted his decision to accept the promotion, but now, there was no going back, and the old gear knew that well.


	2. Rico Squad versus The Wall

**Gears of War: Saving Private Carmine**

**A/N: Vectes will be explained briefly this chapter and I apologize for the first chapter being poorly written. If it wasn't on a computer I would have spat on it to be honest, but this chapter, now this is a chapter to be proud of. Gears fans all over will love the bloodshed in this one! **

**Rico Squad versus The Wall**

Lieutenant Matt Dunbar woke in his rock hard bed at approximately 4:30 A.M to the sound of screeching alarms and shouting voices.

Clumsily, he rolled out of the much too small bed, and frowned at the sirens. His roommate and best friend did the same, but was on his feet much quicker than Matt. Probably because he wasn't half as big as Matt, and was much more agile than your common soldier.

"Rise and shine Matt, looks like we're under attack," Corporal Corey Rolland stated the obvious. Matt climbed to his feet slowly while Corey threw his clothes on in a rushed manner. Matt copied him, and soon followed Corey out of the room.

Once in the hallway, they were surprised to see gears rushing every direction possible. Some were running to the offices, some to the armory, some to the garage and some seemed to be going anywhere but where they were. It was very confusing to Matt and Corey, who trudged along towards the armory, expecting to hear gunshots at any moment.

They were amazed to reach the armory without hearing a single shot. Instead, they found Colonel Vinson himself inside the packed armory, yelling commands over the commotion that engulfed the room like a flood.

"I WANT THIS PLACE CLEANED OF EVERYTHING, BUT MAKE SURE THE ATTACK TEAMS GETS THEIR WEAPONS AND ARMOR DAMNIT!"

_Cleaned of everything? That didn't happen unless they were… _Matt grimly fought his way through bodies to the Colonel who turned to him sternly. His chins wobbled with tension as he did so, looking rather flustered and groggy from the early start in comparison to his normally, uneventful days.

"What's going on," Matt demanded, Corey was preoccupied with trying to force his way past the swarm of men in the tiny room.

"We're moving on, General Hoffman wants us all to head to Vectes! I just got the order a half hour ago!" Matt made a puzzled face while Corey pushed next to him finally, running a hand through his short black hair in distress. His face displayed impatience.

"Vectes…? Why are we moving there," the Corporal asked Matt's thoughts for him.

"No damn clue, but its Hoffman's orders so were doing it. Apparently the Chairman disappeared over night. No one has any clue where the hell he is."

Matt and Corey exchanged a dark look. Corey's usually brilliant green eyes flickered with worry.

"That's… odd," Matt said, looking distraught. "I take it we're still assaulting the wall though?"

"You have your orders Lieutenant just like all the other brave gears heading that way. So grab your gear and get going! Major Eckhart wanted to leave before sunrise!"

Matt nodded and muttered a "yes sir," before swimming after Corey through the crowded armory. It took nearly two minutes for the two muscular men to reach the weapon rack, but when they did, they took their time grabbing the best looking items.

Matt equipped himself with a newer looking lancer, a gnasher, snub pistol and smoke grenades. He had a tendency to use the grenades well, so over a frag, he preferred making an effective smoke screen. _They might come in handy when storming the wall… _

Just as Matt turned to look at Corey something bumped straight into him, falling to the floor with a shrill cry. He looked down with raised eye brows at what he discovered to be a pretty little thing.

Bright, emerald eyes stared up at him while strands of red hair spilled over delicate looking shoulders. Her face was frightened and round, her nose soft and fragile looking, hell, she was fragile looking. Her bodice was lithe, with profound womanly curves, and even though Matt had just knocked her to the ground, he offered her a hand.

She took it eagerly and stood, still looking up at him in awe. The height difference between the two was immense, nearly a foot…

"I'm… um, sorry… sir," she mumbled, looking down like a nervous child.

Matt smiled gently and patted her on the shoulder while Corey appeared from the sea of men, donning light recon armor and a longshot in hand. Matt looked up at him over the girl's head smirking.

When Matt first met Corey Rolland, he had been popping heads with a longshot like no tomorrow behind enemy lines in a bunker. From there, the two had become inseparable, even going so much as to name each other godfathers of their children. Or at least _Corey's_ children, Matt didn't have any.

"Come on Matt, you're slower than an old man," Corey had to yell over the noise.

"I am an old man," he shouted back, getting a smile from Corey, seconds before the Corporal set off through the crowd. He was always so eager and determined to get on with things. That was one of the many things Matt liked so much about him.

"Um, sir…?" The girl practically squeaked, making Matt look down at her in mild surprise.

"Yes?"

"Do you know where I can find Lieutenant Matt Dunbar? I was assigned to his squad yesterday along with… uh, Fixer? I don't know, that's what, he… um, called himself, sir." She looked embarrassed. In fact, Matt thought she might be blushing as she scanned the room timidly looking for something.

Abruptly, a youthful man with dirty blonde hair and bright blue eyes emerged from the crowd. His armor looked bulky on him, but very new compared to the rusty retro lancer in his hands. The ancient gun looked like something he had found in the trash.

"Emily! I saw Colonel Vinson back there, we can ask him where Lieutenant Dunbar is," he announced cheerfully, before getting shoved accidentally by a gear. The young gear stared after his brother in arms angrily, but turned back to Matt and Emily eagerly. His face lit up with excitement.

Matt decided now was the best time to confess to them, as much as he didn't want to. These were kids! Both looked hardly over eighteen, they should be home with their families, not going to die in some stupid bloody war! For a second Matt was enraged. So angry, he almost chain sawed one of the weapon racks in half, but instead, he kept his composure, and cleared his throat. _He had his orders. _

"Glad you two ran into me, then," he lied for once, making both younger gears stare at him in shock. "I am Lieutenant Dunbar."

The Private Emily knew as Fixer, grinned happily while Emily herself trembled with embarrassment. Was she truly _that_ nervous? Matt had a bad feeling in the pit of his stomach about this…

"Sweet, I'm the hammer of dawn specialist Colonel Vinson requested. Just got out of boot camp a few weeks ago," Fixer proclaimed. It took everything Matt had not to frown at that statement. "I'm also a communications expert," the Private continued to brag, obviously not aware he was doing so. "So should I go get my helmet and other gear? Then we can head out and shoot some shit?"

Matt wanted to put a bullet in his own head. This was folly. These two were much too young to throw their lives away trying to breach the wall, but he didn't have a choice. Time, was not on his side… _It never was… _

"Yes, but no helmet. You wear a helmet and you'll lose your head," Matt told him. Fixer stared for a second, and then jumped back into the crowd, holding the retro above his head so he didn't impale anyone with its bayonet. Emily and Matt watched for a second then made awkward eye contact. "That must make you the medic," Matt guessed.

She nodded briefly. Her lips pursed tensely, waiting for him to say something. Those green eyes of hers weren't like Corey's, they practically drilled into you. Like daggers of some sort, Matt didn't like it. He might have to see her staring back at him bleeding out, or just see her head lying somewhere in the sand. Just the idea made him queasy.

"Okay Emily, suit up, I'll meet you and uh, Fixer, in the hallway, okay?" Obediently she set off without a word and snatched a lancer from the rack, struggling to get past the bigger gears that blocked her path. Matt didn't take the time to watch though; instead he made for the armor lockers and geared up.

When he finished in record breaking time, his body, save his arms and head, was covered in shiny plating. His shoulder pads even presented his rank, symbolized by as golden 'LT.' The armor made him look twice as big as he was, not to mention it made him look as intimidating as boomer. Yet, the armor was standard, customary for all gears.

Once outside of the steamy, body heated armory, he went to the wall and punched it. Soon his forehead was pressed against its cold bricks and tears burned down his cheeks. He didn't sob, he didn't scream, he just stood there, and cried silently to himself. Passing by you wouldn't even know the Lieutenant was crying unless you got close enough to get a look at his face, but no one bothered. Gears cried all the time for various reasons. It was Matt Dunbar who had never been known to cry.

A few moments after Matt had regained himself, Corey returned, narrowing his eyes at him and furrowing his brows. Matt grimaced at him as if he was shot, but Corey knew his bunkmate and squad leader better than that.

"Are you… crying?"

"No," Matt replied, leaning against the wall uncomfortably.

Corey flashed a smiled and leaned up against the wall next to him, careful not to knock the lancer or longshot off the metallic clasps on his back.

"So you are human after all," Corey mused in a friendly manner, making Matt give him a sharp look. "Just an observation," Corey said innocently, getting a weak smile out of Matt. Silence ensued after that for a few moments before Corey shattered it again.

"So what are we waiting for? The squad's ready and Major Eckhart's gave the all clear to ship out."

"We have two new recruits," Matt said simply, making Corey flinch painfully.

"What!?"

"You heard me, two green as grass rooks who barely look able to shoot a gun. If they make it through the wall with us, god is definitely favoring us today." Corey shook his head in frustration, running his hands through his cropped hair dramatically before stepping into the center of the hall and beginning to pace.

At least twenty armed gears had passed him when he finally stopped in front of Matt staring.

"That's what you were crying about. The rooks, shit Matt… are they _that_ young?"

Matt sighed and nodded, looking down at the ground. His one hand tightened on the lancer's grip while the other curled into a fist.

"It's bullshit, Corey. We're going to risk our lives to save a kid just like them, and they might die doing it." He looked up at his friend who now had a sad look to his tan face.

"Well there's nothing we can do about it then, is there?"

Matt saw the two Privates walking abreast towards them. Both appeared bigger than they really were in armor, especially the girl.

"No," Matt admitted moving off the wall, _"But we can try to keep them alive." _

* * *

The walk to the garage was anything but quiet. Corey always took it upon himself to be friendly with comrades, even the youngest of the young.

"So your dad fought in the Pendulum Wars," Corey clarified with Fixer, as they crossed the stretch of concrete from the main base to the gigantic garage.

"Yeah," the Private replied proudly, "Died fighting in it actually."

"Sorry to hear that man."

"It's war, right? You live, fight, die. He did what he was supposed to, wouldn't be the man I am today without him."

"But if he was off fighting in the war, when did you ever see him," Emily entered the conversation by pointing out a critical point. Matt could tell by the pause of talk that Fixer was at a loss of words. Amusing, but Matt was more focused on the nearing door ahead of him.

Just as he came within ten yards of it, several garage doors roared open and gleaming, chunky six-wheeled cars poured out, followed by a pair of centaurs and morale raising shouts from the engineers. They thundered past Matt and his companions and out the base in seconds, vanishing from view in the monstrous pines surrounding the base.

"They left already," Emily asked, "Weren't we supposed to go with them?"

"Yeah we'll catch them, come on," Corey urged, taking the lead.

The four gears entered the noise infected garage getting blank looks from various engineers and mechanics. Some joked and made fun at them for getting left behind, but shut up when Matt looked their way. They all knew who Lieutenant Matt Dunbar was.

Walking past rows of armored vehicles, they found their driver soon enough. Five o'clock shadow, mossy green eyes, and brown hair looked the same as before to Matt.

"About time you guys showed up. Your squad was getting antsy as hell and my buddies left me in the dust already," Downey said, unfolding his arms. Matt came to a halt and eyed him quietly, thousands of thoughts rushing through his head.

"Can we still catch them," Fixer blurted out, making the driver smirk.

"Yeah, if you're really that eager… I know a few short cuts, we'll fall right in line… if that's what you want Lieutenant." He looked away from Fixer at Matt who nodded briefly, before trudging towards the armadillo where the rest of his squad awaited him.

The armadillo was much more detailed than Matt remembered from his academy days. It was a metallic black, with three massive wheels on either side. The white cog symbol was embroiled on the hood of the box like vehicle and a hatch on the top appeared to be the only way in. It was Private Fixer who was so enthused by it though.

"Holy shit, look at it! What's the top speed this thing can hit!?"

Fixer rushed towards it like a child would a Christmas present; ignoring the wary stares he was getting from the rest of Rico squad. Emily on the other hand kept close to Corey, staring at her other squad mates in petrified horror. Meanwhile Downey paced after Fixer with a grin plastered on his dirty-smeared face. It wasn't hard to guess that the driver had stayed up most of the night working on the car…

Sitting on a work bench a few feet away from Emily, polishing a sawed off shotgun with a rag, was a _bear_ of a man. Terribly frightening to look at, Sergeant Leonardo Rhodes was legendary for being the first to gear to actually scare locust. Some actually ran from the man on the battlefield due to his ferocious killing. His sheer size, the grizzly gray-black beard, the scars on his face, and even the unkempt hair draping down the back of his thick neck made Emily shrink away. The rest of Rico squad was used to the giant and his ways though. They knew what to and what not to say around him.

Sitting atop the armadillo smoking a cigarette in a relaxed manner, was another unique looking individual. His hair was a long, greenish-black, that fell down to his sole patched chin in a similar wavy manner to Emily's fiery hair. But the tattoos coating his lean arms and neck didn't aid his rough appearance, or the lean, mean female sitting next to him. She was scary looking, harsh hazel eyes, tattoos and even a shaved head, save an obnoxious blue Mohawk that hid one of her eyes at the moment.

The most normal looking of the four gears that made up the rest of Rico squad was a black man with dreadlocks tied back into a ponytail. He was the only one that smiled warmly at Emily, making her feel somewhat relieved as Corey moved forward to greet him.

"What the hell took so damn long? Did the cheerleader have to paint her nails?" The Mohawk chick sneered, as she picked up her lancer and leaped down to her feet staring at Matt. Up close, she wasn't any taller than Emily, but her look was very animalistic. Tomboy was written all over her.

"We've received two new recruits," Matt announced for everyone to hear, making Fixer jog over from examining the armadillo's hood with Downey. "Meet our field medic Private Emily…," he stopped when he realized he didn't know her last name.

"Hefresson, sir," she murmured, making the other female smirk disdainfully. Matt knew Jax well enough to say she wanted to bust a gut with mocking laughter, but even she had the decency not to say anything. The assignment was perilous as it was, more stress wasn't needed.

"Private Emily Hefresson and this is…" Matt got interrupted by Fixer of all people, making Leonardo lift his shaggy head with interest.

"Private Fixer you guys can call me. I'm your comms specialist," he proclaimed happily, getting a smile from Corey and the black man. Downey seemed to perk up at the introductions as he walked around the other side of their transportation and returned, flinging a metal box-like device at Fixer. He was more gentile in handing the first aid kit to Emily, who thanked him gratefully.

"Oh one of these," Fixer said, holding his comm. pack up to get a better look. "Well looks like we won't have to worry about ever losing contact!" Matt and Corey smiled while the driver went about handing ear pieces to everyone over the rank of Captain. That way they could keep in contact and communicate freely without too much of a hazard.

"I assume you stocked up on ammo and put the Jack in already," Matt asked Downey suddenly, who nodded plainly.

"Alright, so let's hit the road already," the smoking gear leapt off the armadillo wildly. In his hands was the standard issue lancer but clasped to his back was the rare weapon, a scorcher.

"Agreed, the sun will rise to our advantage if we go now," Emily put in, seconds before the massive Sergeant got to his feet, his huge paw-like hands clutching a retro lancer. The sawed off was now hooked to his thick leather belt along with an ink grenade and plenty of shells.

"Alright then, Rico squad, move out," Matt ordered brusquely.

Right away, Corporal Mielke, the gear with dreads, walked up to Emily smiling and patted her on the head.

"I certainly hope you know how to shoot a gun too, I'd hate to see you go down trying to hit them with that box of yours," Matt could hear him joke nicely, when Leonardo approached sluggishly.

"I hope you realize they're dead. Even in a spiritually weak place like this, I can feel it in my bones," he said, looking at Fixer who eagerly climbed down the hatch after Downey. Matt met his dark eyes coolly.

"Well then see that it doesn't happen," Matt said sharply, not noticing the approaching chest piece that was Kolinsky, who had just cashed his cigarette.

"Ya know he's right, unless were going around the wall," he said sarcastically, getting Matt to look at him in annoyance. Keith was always making unnecessary remarks, the kind that bugged people more than anything. He had a tendency to never shut up. Even if they were on a recon mission he'd talk the day away.

"Well we are going to try and go through it," Matt said patiently, "Preferably with everyone alive."

Leonardo huffed, "My ancestors are waiting for me. The least I can do is go to them with honor." Matt gave him a dark look.

"We are _not_ going to die. Listen to me, we get halfway up the beach, we throw up a smoke screen, and make for the wall. Our biggest concern is that run to the wall."

"Yeah, it's gonna be a walk in the park right daddy? Can I bring my dolly too," Keith chuckled, and reached into his pocket to produce a pack of cigarettes. Matt scowled at Kolinsky as he turned his back and he walked right into Corey.

"No smoking in the armadillo Keith, save it for later," the other Corporal told him.

"Oh alright asshole, I'll smoke while I'm getting shot at, that sound good?"

Corey eyed him up coldly, starting to bristle when Matt interfered.

"Enough. Both of you, file in, Keith, you smoke later." The younger of the two gears put his cigs away and grumbled to himself as he climbed inside the armadillo with a content Corey following. Leonardo hesitated however, making Matt turn to him in anticipation.

"Our brothers' fight amongst each other already… that's an _omen,_ Lieutenant."

"Yeah, an omen that were going to survive this," Matt replied, making the Sergeant shrug.

"Perhaps the gods are merciful… regardless, you all better pray I don't fart during the ride. Otherwise the locust may not have much to shoot at." Matt broke into a smile at that, and Leonardo showed his yellow teeth in return. Despite his savage appearance and aggression on the battlefield, Leonardo was amiable enough, _sometimes..._ He was too religious for Matt's liking though, and sometimes it caused issues with him and the squad.

_Today though, Matt was religious enough to pray for a swift death… _

* * *

Corporal Jon Downey hadn't been lying when he claimed he knew a few short cuts. Being squad leader, Matt got the passenger seat next to Jon while the others had to be in the back on benches facing each other with ammo and the Jack between them stuffed between them. Jon's driving was not easy going for the gears in back though, mainly because the short cuts weren't actual roads. Most were just random ploys through the woods that would allow Rico squad to intercept the winding road the rest of the gears were moving along.

Complaints were fairly popular so far on the trip. Every few minutes someone would protest and Matt would have to ignore them. The only ones not complaining were Emily, Leonardo, and Corey. The rest were bickering like children. Not to mention Fixer and Jax were _not_ getting along.

"If you touch me one more time, I'm going to rip your tongue out shove it so far up your ass, you're gonna need surgery to have it removed!" Good natured people like Corey and Mielke laughed at that along with Leonardo and Kolinsky, who simply loved violence. Emily sat in a diligent manner though, a little more social now that she was getting to know her squad mates, but still strictly kept to herself.

"I'm not even trying to touch you," Fixer insisted, as he tried to slide over a little into Leonardo, who literally took up half the bench.

"Careful boy, squish me much more and something's like to come out you don't want to meet in this lifetime." More laughter went about the armadillo causing Matt to peek back just in time to catch Emily smile a little at Fixer's misfortune.

"They realize what were up against," the driver asked quiet enough for the others not to hear. Matt faced forward again and looked out the window for a few moments. The stress lines on his forehead deepened while his mind lulled over everything. Meanwhile, the world flashed by outside under the rising sun's radiance.

"Yeah," he finally said, "They know what were up against. Maybe not Fixer, he seems a little…"

"Headstrong," the driver finished for him with a light chuckle, before jerking the military vehicle down a gentle slope. They bounced down it easily enough and found themselves plopping on the road right behind another armadillo. The rest of the squad grumbling in the back from slope's few hazards.

_"Rico Squad, come in, that you guys?" _

"No one answer I got it," Matt called to the back, then placing a hand to his ear said, "Yes sir, Rico squad here. We just caught up to you guys, how far out are we?"

_"About four clicks out, desert starts after the field, you'll see it. Maybe even the wall Lieutenant." _

"Roger that, inform the Major we fell in line."

_"Roger that Rico Squad. Quinta squad out." _

Now that they were on the road, Downey slowed down his driving immensely to prevent from rear ending Quinta squad. He looked to Matt briefly and then stared straight ahead again.

"How old are you," Matt asked out of the blue. His attempt at conversation was excruciatingly weak, but he was too stressed to think of much else.

Downey laughed out loud at that while Jax threatened Fixer again in the back. When his laughter died down, he looked at Matt curiously, coming to realize Matt's face remained serious.

"Are you really asking that?" Matt said nothing so Jon's hint of humor disappeared and he stared ahead again. "I'm probably the youngest one in this thing, I'm twenty two."

Matt nodded, but respected the driver's bravery in diligent silence. Most young gears wouldn't dare drive an armadillo at the wall, and that's without even mentioning the ticker hole task…

"You're an honest, brave man Corporal Downey. Hopefully I'll see you on the other side."

"I might be brave, but that doesn't make me stupid." The driver replied calmly, "You'll see me on the other side. Just not sure it'll be the other side of this wall we're attacking." Matt smiled to himself, and then fell into a serene silence as Sera rolled by.

The woods ended sudden as a cliff, leaving the armadillos to cross a vast, windy plain. The road was the only thing keeping the cars out of the swarms of writhing tall grass that coated the land like a spiky, green blanket.

Driving across the field, silence became the theme for the car, the only one talking being Kolinsky, who was aiding Fixer in his effortless attempt to frustrate Jax. Other than that the squad was quiet. However, the static in Matt's ear was buzzing with discussion.

_"Wall is now one click out, should be seeing the big bitch any minute now boys." _Major Eckhart's gruff voice was evident, despite the crackling frequency that was hard to understand anyone on.

_"Roger that," _several voices chorused. Matt kept silent as a tree, while outside the world shifted from a blanket of grass, to dunes of endless white sand. The wind buffeted it this way and that, spraying it into the air like water, but it had no effect on the armadillos rolling along. They just chugged along the road, and when their target finally came into view, they stopped in unison.

Sheer black walls gleamed from the intense sunlight above, making the imposing wall look like a mountain in the distance. The thought of climbing such a steep thing made Matt's stomach churn, but charging it felt no better. _Suicide… _his mind whispered venomously.

They all knew patrolling between its spiked masons were their enemies, each one anxious to kill a gear today. That didn't stop the drivers from forming their wedge though.

"_Okay boys, this is it. Let's show these bastards who owns this planet," _Major Eckhart blared. In response the armadillos set off at alarming speeds, the two still on the road moved the most efficiently though, zooming ahead of the rest of the group.

"Everyone hang on, and lock and load! We're going in hard and fast," Matt shouted without taking his eyes off the looming wall. He wondered what the locust thought of the platoon charging straight at them. _Probably that this'll be easy… _

"Alright when I tell you guys to jump out… do it. You understand?" Jon looked at Matt then craned behind him to see the rest of Rico squad nod warily at him.

_"We have movement; I repeat we have movement on the wall, half a click out." _

That voice wasn't the Major's. It sounded like the youthful Captain from the debriefing room to Matt, but he couldn't be sure. They may all be dead in a few minutes time here anyway.

_"This sand is really slowing us down, Ringo; you guys might wanna slow down." _

_ "And give them a chance to hit us? Hell no, full speed." _

_ "Discipline in this war is crucial son," _that was the Major, his voice was undeniable, _"I order you to slow down right now." _

_ "Negative Major, the road ends just up ahead. The bastards won't even see us coming before we…" _

The first explosion was way off target from the leading car but it decimated the sand nonetheless, spewing a cloud of sand into the air as if a warning. The explosion had been rather small though… _A torque bow perhaps…? _

_"See, bastards can't aim for shit!" _

_"I'm ordering you to slow down now soldier! That's a goddamn order!" _

_ "Hell no we're fine…" _the Captain's voice went dead as soon as the armadillo capsized in a blast of sand and fire. The car literally flew ten feet into the air and skidded on its side through the sand a good sixty yards before igniting.

_"Ringo you guys okay? RINGO!" _

Just as the first cars from the rest of the platoon were reaching the downed car, the hatch flung open and a single gear climbed out, seconds before the car blew up. Flames licked at the sand tenderly and the survivor of Ringo squad didn't stand a chance, as he was tossed off through the sand like a rag doll.

_"Ringo squad come in! I repeat, Ringo Squad come in!" _

_ "Their gone son, focus on the objective," _Major Eckhart cut in, _"Drivers watch out for tickers! That's what got our boys." _

Eckhart was right, a ticker must have been crawling out and about because they were still a little too far for anything on the wall to hit them. Besides, nothing else would have been able to get underneath the armadillo to its fuel canister to make it explode like that so feebly.

"What the hell just happened," Jax shouted, trying to fight to the front brashly.

"Ringo squad went down," Downey called back without looking; his eyes were fixated on the sand ahead.

_"Incoming, incoming, they have mortars, taking evasive maneuvers!" _

Sure enough, sand started splashing madly all around the vehicles as mortar bombs rained down at them. Looking left and right there was so much sand spitting up, that you couldn't even see the other vehicles. The sound was even worse, deafening. Matt literally couldn't hear a thing, just the hint of screaming in his ears from his comrades.

"HOLD ON EVERYONE! This shit is going to get bumpy!" Downey jerked the wheel right to avoid what would have been a fiery death by the hands of mortar, but as soon as they cleared the little monster, turret fire started to pelt the car relentlessly.

"Damn it, damn it, damn it," Jon cursed repeatedly and slammed his foot on the gas. The armadillo shook and shook but miraculously held together despite the explosions and gunfire surrounding it.

"TICKER TO YOUR RIGHT," Matt yelled, causing him to jerk the wheel left, just barely scraping by the thing before it self-destructed.

"Good call," Jon said seconds before an armadillo ahead of them spun out. "Shit!" Jon had to jerk the wheel again to avoid hitting their comrades, this time the armadillo groaned and started to slow. "OH FUCK! Come on you bastard!"

"What's happening," Matt demanded to know.

"The sand is jamming the fucking gears, now were stuck in first!"

"Shit!"

"THIS IS SO FUBAR," Fixer yelled from the back.

"Fubar doesn't even describe it Fixer! Matt can you hear anyone," Corey yelled over the gunfire booming around them. Each turret's round seemed to ripple through the sand like fish in the sea, spraying sand everywhere. Every time they nailed the armadillo, they shook the car violently, but still it held together and endured like it was built to.

"Yes but I can't understand any of them!"

"Cowards! Fight us like real men," Leonardo started one of his rampages by banging on the walls of the armadillo. Emily grew pale in response and squeezed herself back into the corner, clutching her lancer and first aid kit tightly. Meanwhile Kolinsky and Jax cursed at every bump and twist the vehicle experienced.

They were now within a good two hundred yards of the wall's menacing form. They couldn't even see the top anymore because of the armadillo's limited view.

"Okay in about twenty seconds I'm going to let you guys out, okay?" Jon looked at Matt desperately, his face contorted into mad focus. The Lieutenant nodded at him and watched as they rolled through the sand, soon they would be out of the turret's range.

"TICKER!" But Matt was much too late in pointing it out.

It leapt and smacked the side of the car with a thud, detonating on impact with lethal force. For a few seconds, Downey managed to keep the car moving awkwardly by staying on three wheels expertly, but soon turret fire rolled it over completely. Everyone inside fell about cursing and yelling when another armadillo crashed straight into them, flipping the car several more times in the wall's direction. Glass shattered along with chunks of metal, and just about everyone received some sort of injury before the car finally stopped, about a hundred yards from the wall.

It was Matt who showed the first signs of being alive. He seized his lancer from the floor, and kicked the glass out windows out, his body searing with pain.

"Everyone alright," he yelled, before slapping a cut open hand to his ear. "Mayday, mayday, Rico squad is down and out, waiting on a causality report."

"I'm fine," he recognized Corey say.

"Me too," a disoriented Emily exclaimed. Only Leonardo didn't respond but that was because he was buried beneath the pile of people and equipment in back.

"Okay everyone out now! Then get to the back of the car!"

A badly bruised Downey wasted no time obeying as he crawled through the destroyed window army style with a lancer in hand, scraping his bare arms along the broken glass. Matt followed with his squad groaning their way out behind him, carrying all they could.

Immediately Matt got a better look of his surroundings, the desert painfully bright from the morning sun. Lying around like broken toys, were several other armadillos. He could see five still rushing at the wall recklessly. The locust's fire still concentrated on those five however, leaving Rico squad safe to evacuate the upside down armadillo.

"Don't shoot! They don't see us yet! I want everyone out and behind the car, double time! Let's move people let's move!"

Corporal Mielke and Corporal Kolinsky made out first with all their supplies and even some ammo clips. Amazingly, the scorcher Keith had brought along was still in intact after being crushed in the crash.

"RICO SQUAD IS THAT YOU?!"

At least seventy yards away, two helmeted gears were trucking through the sand towards them waving their arms ignorantly. Matt stared at them and looked to the wall fearfully; the gears running at him had to be privates due to their forgetfulness of snipers.

"Get down," Matt managed to scream before two booming shots echoed across the sand.

All of the Rico squad gears out of the armadillo dived to the ground clumsily, but it was the privates who were being targeted. When Matt looked up, the inevitable had occurred.

"AH FUCK! MAMA! MAMA!"

One of the privates rolled amongst the sand wailing in pain while his squad mate rushed back to help him in a sleazy manner.

"No fall back! Get in cover!" Matt's screams were futile as another shot echoed across the sand killing the wounded private with a spurt of blood that coated his friend. "HURRY! DAMN IT! RUN…," it was suddenly Mielke shoving Matt to the sand as a bullet ricocheted off the armadillo behind him.

"Lieutenant! Get behind the car, come on!" Mielke fought to his feet and pulled Matt along through the sand just as another sniper shot echoed in the distance. By the time the duo of gears were behind the car, turrets were blasting the sand around the closer downed cars. Looking around you could see other gears copying Rico squad by seeking cover behind their disabled cars. All of them looked frenzied and panicked, just like Rico squad.

"What about that privates, did they make it," Matt asked as Emily, Jax, and Downey flew around the other side of the armadillo madly diving at the sand.

"No he went down, I saw him," Jax said, cocking her lancer.

"Me too those guys are deader than dead," Kolinsky said as he slid next to Matt from seemingly nowhere. Leonardo was last, with turret rounds chasing him all the way to the back of the car where he fell huffing for breath. Out of his arms he dropped jack along with his retro lancer.

"Good work Sergeant, everyone keep your heads down," Matt barked out, looking both ways with his back against the armadillo. All he could see other than endless sand behind them, was the ruins of two armadillos farther back by the road. Both showing absolutely no signs of live as turret fire scoured them.

"Sir, what do we now," Fixer asked, his face sweaty and sliced from glass. Somehow the rookie wasn't scared, just… determined? Like an experienced comms expert, he had even managed to keep his comm. pack safe.

Matt looked at all of them searching for words. If they made a dash for another downed armadillo, they'd get sniped or torqued. Not to mention the… MORTARS.

"Okay we need to move…," Emily read his mind, "They're going to drop mortars on us if we don't!"

"Yeah no shit cheerleader," Jax snapped, before crawling around the edge of the armadillo to get a look at the wall.

"Where's Corey?" Matt's eyes widened when he realized his roommate was missing.

"COREY!" He started to stand but was jerked back down by Mielke who shook him.

"Don't be a fool! They'll cap you in the head if you stand up!"

Meanwhile, lying uncomfortably in between the driver seat and passenger seat in a mess of glass and metal, Corey adjusted his scope slowly. If he moved too suddenly he'd be easy to spot, and he knew it better than anyone. Hesitantly, he raised said scope to his eye and peered through at the wall's top. Only the barrel of his gun gave his enemies any sign that he was there.

Looking down the scope at the spiked masons, he could see the wall's force of locust was surprisingly thin. For every five spikes he only saw one locust, but the first one he saw was the one he wanted, for it was aiming at his squad's downed car…

Sweat trickled down Corey's face rapidly as he tensed. His finger moved into the trigger guard, his bad eye shut, and he inhaled deeply.

Corey ended up pulling the trigger a millisecond before the locust did, making his enemy's shot miss him completely. Instead, the locust lost his head in a fountain of gore, and then fell forward, plummeting to the sand far below.

Grinning to himself Corey slid out of the armadillo making a run for the back of the armadillo where Jax waved him over frantically. Seconds before could get around the rear tire though, a sniper shot screeched, splicing blood from his shoulder as he fell into cover.

"FUCKING SPINLESS BASTARDS! I'll KILL YOU ALL!" Leonardo got up and started shooting his retro lancer pointlessly at the wall. It was a miracle that Mielke and Keith were able to haul the big Sergeant back into cover before another gunshot sounded, obliterating the sand where Leonardo had once stood.

"Shit now they know where we are you dumb ass," Jax yelled at the growling Sergeant.

"I think they already knew where we were _princess_," Kolinsky said feigning niceness, which pissed Jax off even more.

"Fuck you!"

"Hey guys, those mortars won't waste any time landing on us, we need a plan, NOW," Fixer exclaimed. Most of the squad was surprised to see him speak in such a determined manner, but it didn't stop Jax and Kolinksy from fighting.

"If only I was up there, I'd be kicking their asses' right over the wall," Jax insisted, while Leonardo seethed on the ground. Meanwhile Corey dripped blood into the sand from his bullet scrape, which had stolen a decent amount of skin. It didn't seem to bother him as much as it did Emily though, who couldn't stop staring at it.

"If you were up there they'd be throwing you over the wall," Kolinsky argued while Emily eyed Corey like a hunter stalking deer.

"Let me see that," Emily suddenly said, crawling over to him with the first aid kit. Matt watched in surprise as she cleaned the wound and wrapped it effectively. In a matter of seconds the wound was treated, and Corey was thanking her with a warm smile.

Knowing Corey was alive and well, gave Matt his leadership skills back. Out of nowhere he had formulated a strategy inside his bald head. He should take control of the situation before Kolinsky and Jax killed each other with their bickering.

"Okay, Kolinsky, Lawson, Fixer, with me! Corey, Emily, Mielke, Rhodes, Downey, we need to get that Jack to the wall ASAP! While their shooting at us, I want you guys carrying it behind us. While were moving up, I want our best shots popping any potential threats. Got it?"

Confident nods circled around the group. The only person displaying any sort of fear or hesitance was Emily, but it was scarcely noticeable as the female private jammed a clip into her lancer emotionlessly. The rest of the squad did the same, loading their chosen weapons for the assault. Matt took this opportunity of prepping to put a hand to his ear and see if anyone was still on their frequency. _Another squad would make this go much smoother… _

"Lieutenant Dunbar of Rico squad seeking assistance, does anyone read this? I repeat, Rico squad seeking assistance, does anyone copy?"

"So, think the women will swoon over us when we get back home," Corporal Mielke asked Downey as he loaded a longshot.

"Maybe," the driver replied, shooting a smile at Mielke. It was hard to ever get frustrated with the black man. He was always so friendly and his jokes were harmless, always meant to entertain, nothing more.

"Of course they will, that's how all the movies go," Corey joined their conversation smiling; he too had his longshot locked and loaded. "I'm thinking for tactics here, Jon and I will sit back here and snipe by the armadillo. We have a good view of the wall and a good line of vision for anything sneaky they might come up with."

"Okay, just be careful though," Mielke warned, "They know where we are and are bound to shoot a mortar eventually." Yet Corey shook his head quickly at that comment, giving Mielke a puzzled look.

"No, once Matt and you guys head out behind him into the smoke screen, they'll think we've all left."

"It won't be until we kill one that they'll know we're still sitting back here," Downey added without looking, he was more focused on peeking around the corner of the wrecked armadillo at the wall and the mess of broken cars before it. Even a few deceased Cog soldiers now lined the sand.

"_Rico squad! Come in, this is Bravo, we copy and are ready to assist. Where are you guys?" _

Matt perked up and so did his squad.

"Bravo, good to hear from someone, we're about a hundred yards out from the wall. Are you guys down and out, as in mayday?" Matt stared at Corey holding his breath. The Lieutenant really had to strain his ears to hear them over the sound of turret fire still going from the wall.

"_Copy that Rico, and yes, we are. In fact, I think I can see you guys. How can we assist, I have four men including myself, the rest didn't survive the crash." _

"I'm sorry to hear that Bravo, but what I want you guys to do, is storm the wall at the same time we do. Do any of your men possess a smoke grenade?"

Static buzzed fiercely before Bravo squad came back on the line.

"_Affirmative Rico, we have five." _

Matt couldn't help the smile that appeared on his face despite the desperate situation. _"Good, now listen up." _


End file.
